Flat-pressing of textile fabrics



Oct. 6, 1931. M. HAHN- 1,825,727

FLAT PRESSING OF TEXTILE FABRICS Filed oct. `12. 1929 Maffay.

Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE MATHIAS HAHN, OF AACHEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T HUBERT KRANTZ, 0F AACHEN, GERMANY FLAT-PRESSING 0F Application led October 12, 1929, Serial No.

This invention relates to the fiat-pressing of textile fabrics using an apparatus comprising a press for hot pressing a portion of the fabric web, a further press for simultaneously cold pressing a corresponding previously hot pressed portion of the fabric web and means for conveying the fabric web through the presses.

In known apparatus of this kind the fabric 1o is passed through the presses by'pairs of cooperating rollers, which are arranged in front of, between and behind the presses, respec tively. These rollers are either driven at a uniform speed or a certain acceleration in the direction of feed is'imparted to certain rollers of the several sets. This arrangement has the following drawbacks: The fabric is constantly under a certain tension during the pressing, namely the tension exerted by the conveying rollers. However, in flat presses it is of the greatest importance to avoid any stretching of the fabric in order to obtain a product which does not crumple in use.

- Moreover, the position of the fabric fibres in the cold press becomes different from that in the hot press Thi-s change of the position of the fibres is due to the fact that the fabric is drawn through the presses, but it is mainly due to the direct influence-contact and friction-of the feed rollers on the fabric. A proper pressing, which provides for a fixing of the hot pressed fibres by the subsequent cooling or cold pressing, is thus rendered imposssible; on the contrary, the fibres will be fixed in a position different from that 1n which they have been hot pressed, so that the pressing effect is bad or even entirely useless.

Y One object of the present invention is to avoid the aforesaid drawbacksof the known continuous hot and cold presses. To this end, the fabric is placed on a travelling carrier on which it rests free from strains, and said travelling carrier constitutes the sole support for the fabric during its travel from fhe first to the last press of the pressing machine and traverses both the hot and the cold press thereof. Said carrier, which may for instance consist of an endless conveying band, is

'50 moved from the hot press into the cold press in such a manner that no displacement of the fabric with respect to the carrier and no mutual displacement of the fabric fibres can take Y place. A stretching of the fabric and a.v

change of position of the fibres or staple is thus avoided with certainty during the entire pressing process so that a pressing effect perfect in every respect and a uniformly good product are obtained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism for controlling the movements of the presses and fabric conveying means, such mechanism comprising an electric Contact drum which is constantly rotated by the drive of the fabric conveying means and which is adapted to actuate a plurality of suitable electric operating devices designed to cut in and out the medium for operating the presses and the coupling for connecting the fabric conveying means with their drive.

In order more clearly to understand the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrates, by way of example, a pressing apparatus arranged and constructed in accordance with the invention, and in which: f

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of the pressing plant;

Fig. 2 shows the driving mechanisms for the fabric conveying means and presses and the control device for these mechanisms; and

F ig. 3 is a development of an electric contact drum forming part of the control device.

A and A1 are the two presses which consist of the vertically movable press tables 1 and 2 and the top pieces 3 and 4, the two presses having pressing surfaces of equal breadth B. The pressing surfaces of the press A are formed by electrically or otherwisevheated plates 5 and 6, while those of the press A1 are formed by hollow plates 7 and 8 which are cooled by water or any other suitable medium. The movement of the press tables 1, 2 is effected by power cylinders 9 and l0. Both cylinders are connected by pipes 11 with a hydraulic double valve l2, Fig. 2, which regulates the supply and discharge of the pressure medium.

13 denotes the fabric to be treated which is passed through the presses by means of feed and cuide rollers 1-1 and 15, one or both of whicli are positively driven. In the present instance, it is assumed that only the roller 15 is positively driven. In order to pass the fabric through the presses in a condition free from strains so as to secure a uniform good finish, said fabric is carried by an endless belt 18 which runs over the rollers lll, 15 and further guide rollers 16, 17 and which traverses both the hot press and the cold press. The fabric after leaving the second press A1 passes over a roller 2O driven by a chain 19 or the like from the roller 15 to a plaiter 21.

The double valve 12 is controlled by a` lifting magnet 22. The valve casing is connected by a conduit 23 with the delivery chamber of a pump 21 and with an accumud later 25. A return conduit 2G connects the valve casing with the Huid reservoir of the pump 24.

The roller 15 of the conveying device is driven by a belt pulley 2T which is mounted loosely on an extension of the shaft of the rollerl 15, see Fig. 2. Mounted on the shaft extension is also a coupling sleeve 2S which is shiftable axially by means of a lever 29 actu ated by a lifting magnet 30 and which is adapted to couple the pulley 27 wit-h the roller 15. The belt Apulley 27 simultaneously drives through a gear 31 an electric contact drum 32 which has contacts 33 and 31. The contacts 323 and cooperate with contact lingers 35 and 36, respectively. The Contact fingers 35 serve to close and open through a switch 37 the circuit for the lifting magnet 3U, while the contact fingers 3G effect through a switch 3S the closing and opening of the circuit for the lifting magnet 22.

The drawings show the press tables 1 and 2 in their lowered position. The lifting magnet 11() is energized due to the fact that the contact fingers are in touch with one of the, contacts 33, and therefore the pulley 27 drives the. conveying roller 15 through the coupling sleeve 28. The fabric is thereby advanced a. distance corresponding to the breadth B of a press table. ln the meantime the contact drum B2 has rotated so much that the Contact fingers 35 are disengaged froln the contacts The magnet 30 is lle-energized and the feed of the fabric through the roller 15 is stopped instantaneously. During the time the fabric moves forward the upper cone of the double valve 12 is closed because of the magnet 22 being fle-energized, while the lower cone of the valve is open so that the. pressure fluid can fiow from the power cylinders 9 and 10 through the pipes 11 and 2G into the reservoir of the pump 24. After the forward movement of the fabric has been stopped., the contact drum 32 has brought one of its contacts 31 into engage- 1 nientavith the contact fingers 36. The magnet 22 is energized and the double valve 12 is actuated so that the lower conc controlling the return flow closes, while the upper cone controlling the supply of the pressure fluid opens. The pressure Huid accumulated in the accumulator 25 now flows through pipe 2&3, valve 12 and pipe 11. into the power' cylinders 9 and 10, the accumulator 25 coming to a standstill when the full pressing pressure is attained. The fabric is instantaneously pressed and brought to the desired tempera` ture between the heated surfaces 5 and G, while at the same time a previously hotpressed portion of the fabric of the same dimensions is rapidly cooled under equal pressure between the cooled surfaces 7 and S. Yhen the hot-pressing and cold-pressing period has terminated, the two tables 1 and 2 move down into their lower position, the feed of the fabric is again initiated, and so on, so that the pressing process is rendered continuous.

The pressing action can be changed within vast limits by changing the tenngierature of the heating and cooling surfaces and the heightof the presing pressure which is dependent on the pr ure of the accumulator. Besides, it is possible to vary within vast limits the duration of pressing by altering the length of the contacts 51 of the contact drum 32. Instead of the lifting magnets there may also be used other electric devices for generating the required power, such as motors or the like; the control valve 12 and the coupling 28 may also be actuated by mcchanical means such as cams, grooved cylin.- ders, or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method of flat-pressing fabrics consisting in intermittently conveying the fabric forwardly ahead in a substantially even plane through separate hot andcold presses and during the conveying and pressing supporting the fabric so as to prevent stretching of the fabric and mutual displacement of the fabric fibres.

2. An apparatus for flat-pressing fabrics comprising successively arranged hot and cold presses with their pressing surfaces on substantially the same level, a traveling carrier for supporting and conveying the fabric and arranged to traverse both the hot and cold presses in a straight line, and means for alternately moving the carrier forwardly ahead and actuating the presses.

3. An apparatus for flat-pressing fabrics comprising bot and cold presses arranged one in succession of the other and with their pressing surfaces on substantially the same level, an endless conveying band for supporting the fabric and carrying it through the presses in a straight line, driving and guide rollers for the conveying band arranged to guide the band with its fabric supporting stretch forwardly ahead through both presses, and means for alternately moving the conveying band and actuating the presses.

4;. An apparatus for flat-pressing fabrics, comprising hot and cold presses, endless conveying means for carrying the fabric through the presses, actuating means for the presses, a drive for the conv-eying means, and an electric contact drum constantly rotated by the said drive and adapted to control the movements of the endless fabric conveying means and of the presses.

5. An apparatus for flat-pressing fabrics, comprising hot and cold presses, an endless conveying band for supporting and carrying the fabric through the presses, power cylinders for operating the-presses, valves for admitting pressure fluid to and discharging it from the power cylinders, means for actuating these valves, guide and feed rollers for the fabric conveying band, a drive for at least one of the feed rollers, a clutch for connecting the drive and disconnecting it from such feed roller, means for actuating this clutch, and an electric contact drum constantlyrotated by the said feed roller drive and adapted to control both the movements of the said valve actuating means and of the clutch actuating means.

6. An apparatus for fiat-pressing fabrics, comprising successively arranged hot and cold presses, an endless conveying band for supporting and carrying the fabric through the presses, power cylinders for operating the presses, valves for admitting pressure uid to and discharging it from the power cylinders, a lifting magnet for actuating these valves, an electric circuit for this lifting magnet, guide and feed rollers for the fabric conveying band, a drive for at least one of the feed rollers, a clutch for connecting this drive with and disconnecting it from such feed roller, a lifting magnet for actuating this clutch, an electric circuit for this clutch actuating magnet, and an electric contact drum operatively connected with the said drive for being constantly rotated by the same and adapted to control the circuits for the said lifting magnets.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

MATHIAS HAHN. 

